I'm Waking Up To Us [EP] - BELLE & SEBASTIAN; indie pop

Of course, it's all subjective, but I think this EP is the best they've produced so far. The opening track is more formally satyrical, the lead singer actually stylizing his singing voice quite dramatically! "I'm Waking Up To Us," is produced by Mike Hurst, the producer of Cat Stevens in his "Matthew and Sons" period. Both this song and "I Love My Car" are quite specifically intended to recall Stevens' early sound with all its flourishes. Even the cover art seems to illustrate Stevens' early hit "I Love My Dog." As others have pointed out, "I Love My Car" also recalls the Kinks circa 1967, particularly the arrangements in "Tin Soldier Man" and "Deadend Street," which ends, like this track, with a Dixieland stomp chorus. As clever and well-done as these songs are, they are playful pastiches not likely to thrill those without patience for the kind of songs on which they are modeled. "Marx and Engels," on the other hand, is Belle and Sebastian imitating themselves, which is always a valuable undertaking.    

     "I Love My Car" is so beautifully produced, has such rich sound, but retains that honest crisp sound that Belle and Sebastian make their trademark. The melody is amazingly catchy (if a bit jingle-like) and the beat is infectious in an old Dixieland jazz kind of way. This is the first track that suddenly hit me, and I listened to it over and over. But most astounding is "Marx and Engels," which I think is their most beautiful song to date. As always, their lyrics are fascinating, but the melody is just so sweet and rhapsodic. Again, the producing is really excellent. All the instrumentation is very well played and surrounds you in a soft, warm shower of harmony. With a lovely vocal counterpoint and an almost mystical ending, this song has more of a dramatic shape than most Belle and Sebastian songs. It travels farther and offers an interesting revelation at the very end. It's a total classic.

     None of these three songs were to be found on any album.

Each piece - from the full-size jewel case, to the full color booklet and liners, to the CD itself – is original, included & in perfect condition. There are a few numbers on the CD face.